Fishermen face in Bangladesh in Myanmar tensions – DW – 07/31/2025

The flowing sound of the Naf River, which separates Bangladesh from Myanmar, is repeated through the green corridors leading to the hut of Mohamed Siddiqi. Against his quarters in the border town of Teknaf, Bangladesh, the mountains of Rakhine State in Myanmar are visible.

Siddiqui earns his livelihood as a hip in the river. “I go to fishing on the wooden cables at about 7 am and go home at around 1:00 p.m.,” 24 -year -old told DW.

“I love this and earn between 500-600 Taka (4 dollars to $ 5) a month, which helps me tend to the needs of my family consisting of eight people, including two children.”

However, the fishing in NAF has become dangerous, Arakan Army (AA)Mysnmar rebel group, operating in the area. In May, a group of AA SEDDIQUI fighters and two other fishermen were kidnapped.

“In early May, I went to the Naf River as I was always and pulled the fishing nets in the water. I was with other fishermen. Suddenly, we saw AA coming from their boat, which works with their motor towards us, and fired about 20 bullets on us,” he said.

“They had a person on their boat that spoke to me in our local language, Bengali, they put a pistol on my head, and they asked me why we expressed their lands. But we did not cross the maritime borders in Bangladesh.”

He described how AA repaired them, tied their legs, put them on their boat, and took them to Rakhine State, where they were imprisoned.

“During our prison, some AA’s members were also drunk on wine, come and hit us,” Siddiqui recalls.

Two days later, BGB border goalkeeper (BGB) helped save the three fishermen after a call with AA. Then they returned to Teknaf.

My friend said: “The entire accident shook me. I am suddenly afraid of fish. During the time I kidnapped him, my wife cried a lot. Hunting is the source of our livelihood and if she was killed, my family will struggle.”

Dangerous tensions across the border in Myanmar

AA, one of the most powerful ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, She was fighting against the army in the country Since 2015, although there are two temporary parking for humanitarian causes or natural disasters such as earthquakes, fighting has been intensified since 2023.

Currently, AA controls 14 of the town of Rakhine State 17, as well as the town of Paletwa in the neighboring state of Chin. In December, AA also seized the town of Maungdaw in Rakhine, a major military stronghold and an area in West Myanmar, on the border with Bangladesh.

Myanmar army previously took control of the 270 km maritime border between Myanmar and Bangladesh. But as AA gained power in Maungdaw, control of the border fell in their hands.

Since then, the reports of the Bangladeshi fishermen that have been kidnapped by AA are relatively common. About 15 years were arrested and later rescued in February, 56 other fishermen were kidnapped and rescued in March.

“These incidents cause great frustration for Dhaka and Arkan,” Thomas Kane, chief advisor Myanmar Bangladesh said in the International Crisis Group, a non -governmental organization, told DW.

“From AA’s point of view, illegal fishermen go beyond their lands without permission, and they believe that the problem is increasing and that local authorities are not doing enough to prevent them,” he said.

Kane added that AA is looking at themselves as the legitimate authority in these areas, and will confirm that their actions rise to law enforcement, not kidnapping.

“On the other hand, it is difficult for Dhaka to consider the arrests legitimate because AA is a non -state representative,” he said.

DW arrived at AA to understand the reason for the kidnapping of Bangladesh fishermen, but they did not get a response at the time of publication.

After the fishermen in March of this year, SK AHSAN UDDIN, a government official of Bangladesh, told the Turkish news agency Anadolu that the Bangladeshi fishermen had sometimes fought in Myanmar’s territory to fishing but were repeatedly warned of their safety.

Ways to live in danger

Mohamed Hussein, a hunter who was kidnapped by AA with Siddique in May, said that the grace of a cup of tea near NAF, and said that the river is closed to fishing Bangladesh It led to some fishermen to work closely or cross the maritime border in Myanmar.

He said: “Hunting is our livelihoods, and since there was a ban in one part of the river on the lands of Bangladesh, some fishermen would cross the border. When the military council was responsible, they would ask them for a short period, but with AA currently responsible, it was dangerous and the fishermen were cautious.”

Peak Rohingya crisis In August 2017, the Bangladesh government banned fishing in the Naf River to prevent drug and Rohingya smuggling from entering the country on fishing boats, according to local media reports.

the Rohingya It is an Islamic ethnic minority, which is mostly based in Rakhine State, was persecuted and expelled from their homes by the Myanmar army. Hundreds of thousands fled Continue to live in crowded camps Through the border in Bangladesh.

In February this year, the interim government in Bangladesh lifted the ban, allowing hunting inside the waters of Bangladesh between 8 am and 4 pm local time.

Lifting the embargo made the fishermen in the region a lot of relief, but the presence of AA across the marine border in Bangladesh with Myanmar made them feel nervous and fearful.

Hussein said: “I was a hunter throughout my life, and a good fishing is the victory that I cherish. But AA launched us and kidnapped us and now I am afraid of fish,” Hussein said. “Every time we go to hunt now, we get to know the sound of the fuel -running boat engine,” he said.

Robol Hassan, 22, who was hunting since he was six years old and also kidnapped him by AA in May, participates in similar fear.

“AA threatens our livelihood without any error on our part, and our society does not feel safe. The village leaders have no money to buy weapons for us to protect ourselves, so our families pray for our safety when we go to hunting. The government must help us to go out.”

Can Bangladesh deal with the Myanmar rebels?

So far, Coast Guard officials and Border Guard have been saving fishermen who were kidnapped by AA.

DW arrived at the Coast Guard in Bangladesh to understand the safety measures they are taking to help the fishermen, but did not get a response at the time of publication.

Khansar Tahum Regewan, an analyst at the alternative center, a research tank based in Dhaka, said that the ongoing kidnappings and harassment in the fishermen by an armed group that does not exist such as AA highlights the absence of pre -emptive measures from the interim government in Bangladesh.

He told DW: “He also reveals Dhaka’s inability or unwillingness to communicate in a practical way with a provocative foreign rebel group, which employs the tactics of the gray region war to violate the maritime borders, violate sovereignty, and instill psychological fear.”

He added: “Perhaps this incident was acceptable if it was isolated and exceptional. Instead, these events occur regularly, accompanied by arbitrary shooting, torture, and inhuman treatment of fishermen by AA in the past few months.”

“AA is the actual ruler of Rakhin and has become a new neighbor in Bangladesh. It contains wrestling forces on the battle, popular support, strategic geological depth and strong alliances with the major rebel groups in Myanmar,” he said, adding that Daka should start with an unofficial but strong understanding with AA to ensure the safety of people along the border.

According to local media reports, the Bangladeshi authorities began with unofficial participation with AA in December 2024. With the escalation of tensions between Dhaka and the Myanmar army, the interim government in Bangladesh defended this participation with AA and said it was “a necessity” in the interest of the country.

Dhakuan said Dhaka should also involve the tanks of thought, civil society members and local administrative representatives to enhance dialogue with AA and build mutual understanding on security issues across the border.

Edited by: Wesley